The present invention refers to an apparatus for microsurgical operations on the eye of a living being, and in particular to an ophthalmic apparatus of the type having a housing accommodating an irrigation unit provided with a first passageway for supply of irrigation fluid to the surgical site, an aspiration unit provided with a second passageway for drawing material from the surgical site, a pump unit with a rotor cooperating with at least one circumferential, rotatably supported roller, and a carrier module releasably insertable in the housing and receiving both fluid passageways, with the carrier module being connectable with the pump unit in such a manner that the rotor peristaltically interacts via the roller with the second passageway.
European patent specification No. 0 362 882 describes a microsurgical irrigation/aspiration system which cooperates with a pump unit and includes a carrier in form of a cassette attached to the front wall of a console and retained by a pivoting latch mounted on the front wall. The carrier which receives the first and second fluid passageways has an essentially semi-circular recess for receiving the pump trait. When the carrier is installed, the rotatable rollers of the pump unit peristaltically cooperate with the fluid passageway of the aspiration unit.
Further ophthalmic devices with a pump unit and a carrier in form of a cassette are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,695, U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,610, U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,302, and EP-A 0 095 926.